The Only Way I Know
by LunaRoo
Summary: Sequel to 'We Weren't Crazy'. Owen and Sasha Grady thought they had the whole parenting deal sorted out. That was, until a letter from Masrani Global sent them spinning back into the world of dinosaurs and tourists. With Owen trying desperately to regain his raptors' trust and Sasha caring for their child, they're forced to learn how to live all over again. {Established Owen/OC}
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _To whom it may concern,_

 _After the events of the Indominus Rex escape, Masrani Global has finished repairs and returned assets to their proper containment facilities. We extend this invitation to you with hopes that you'll rejoin our ranks as a respected staff member of Jurassic World. Security has been heightened, and paddocks made more secure. Any and all hybrid dinosaur embryos and/or eggs have been disposed of. The incident will not repeat itself._

 _After the death of Simon Masrani, his company is working to follow through with his wishes to make people and animals happy all around the globe. New identification badges are enclosed if you choose to accept, along with vouchers for airline tickets. Please call the number below with you answer._

 _We hope to see you soon._


	2. Chapter 1

_**Hello! So I'm back with the sequel! :) I hope you guys enjoyed the prologue- it'll come into play into this chapter. I also remember some of you saying how much you liked Alpha Owen, so there's some of that here too ;D Not a lot of Baby Grady here, but she'll be in it more later.**_

 **Chapter 1**

"Book?"

"Yeah, Sweetheart I'll read your book."

Owen Grady carried his two year old daughter up the stairs to her room, Dr. Seuss' 'The Lorax' held in his open hand.

It had been two years. Two years since Hadley was born, and two years since Jurassic World. They had moved out of Jo Ellen's house to a small cabin in the backwoods-small town part of Kentucky. It was a beautiful area with mountains and woods surrounding it, a tiny town just a few miles down the road. It had a small preschool/daycare center that Sasha had been taking Hadley to lately, for just two half days a week. She loved going and seeing other kids her age, and it was good socialization.

Owen had secured a job at the County Sherrif's Department helping train K-9 units. He saw the ad for it online, and immediately called in. It was something that he would enjoy doing, and had experience doing. Sasha was doing what she called 'the typical stay-at-home Mom thing'; not currently working, but staying home with Hadley and cooking and doing other housework. It was... Strange. For them it was domestic; they weren't used to being on such a normal schedule. Breakfast, work, home, dinner, bed. Owen loved his work and family but he was itching for some sort of action. For now, he could settle for reading Dr. Seuss books that made his head spin with rhymes over and over.

As he nudged open Hadley's door upstairs, Owen set the book on her small tea party table and moved to lay Hadley in bed.

"Alright baby girl, let's... Oh."

She was fast asleep already, fists tucked up under her chin as she curled into her blanket. Owen smiled gently and kissed her forehead, tiptoeing around stuffed animals and Barbie's to exit her room. Looking up, he saw Sasha standing in the doorway, holding back a laugh as he cautiously stepped over 'Bob the Bear'. Owen narrowed his eyes at her playfully and stepped outside, pulling the door closed with a soft click.

"You looked like you were in Mission Impossible." Sasha commented, gathering her long hair into a ponytail. Owen huffed a laugh.

"I was."

Sasha smiled, and Owen looped an arm around her waist, walking her back towards their bedroom. "Hey did you get the mail today?"

Owen furrowed his brow. "No I forgot. You expecting something?"

Sasha nodded. "I ordered a heated blanket and it's supposed to be here."

"A heated blanket? T'Hell you need that for?" He asked with a laugh.

Sasha slapped his chest. "Emily told me they're awesome for the cold and it was on sale. Why not buy one?" She shot back.

"Cause we have blankets already."

"Yeah but not heated ones."

"Ain't all blankets heated?"

Sasha shook her head. "Electric. Heats itself. Because you take all of the covers every night, I need something to keep me warm."

Owen laughed. "Ay, you always push me to move away. I actually recall you saying 'Owen don't touch me when I'm trying to sleep.'" He mimicked Sasha's voice at the end, and she turned to him with a quirked eyebrow.

"I do not sound like that! And I was pregnant when I said that. That was over two years ago. You can touch me all you want, I don't care!" Sasha paused and laughed. "Wow that sounded bad."

Owen turned to her with a mischievous twinkle in his green eyes. "All I want, huh?"

Sasha gave him a warning look. "Owen..." He picked her up swiftly and tossed her over his shoulder, walking down the stairs towards their room. Sasha hit his back and squirmed around.

"Owen, what about my blanket?"

He didn't answer, just swung the door open and tossed her down on the bed. It had been a while since they did anything intimate, and Sasha felt a flutter in her stomach as Owen tugged his t-shirt over his head. She moved to sit up, but Owen was immediately pushing her back down. "Stay down."

Sasha raised an eyebrow, but complied with his command. It had been a long time since he had pulled the 'Alpha' tone. Sasha bit her lip as she leaned against the pillows and watched Owen look her up and down. He slowly- tortuously slowly, crawled over her from the end of the bed, kissing his way up her stomach and neck. Owen lifted his head from her neck, hands roaming all over her body as he brought his lips down hard on Sasha's. His right hand worked its way behind her head and tugged harshly at her ponytail, trying in vain to pull it , he just tugged it until it snapped, and Sasha pulled her lips from his.

"Come on, I only have like four-"

"Hands up."

"What?"

"Hands. Up."

Sasha stared at Owen for a few seconds, only to have him carry out the command for her. He grasped her wrists and lifted them above her head, lips coming back to hers seconds later.

She didn't know what he was doing, but it felt too good to argue with.

Instinctively, Sasha tried to move her hands so she could hold on to him, but he pushed her wrists down with one strong hand, and kept his lips on hers, leaving her gasping for air as he moved to trail light kisses down her neck and shoulders. "Owen..."

His eyes flicked to hers briefly as he pulled at the hem of her tanktop. "Hmm?"

"I still want my blanket."

Owen dropped his head against her chest with a laugh. "You know, you're really killing the mood here."

Sasha smiled. "Am I allowed to go get it?"

Owen kept her pinned where she was for a moment before letting up his grip. "Can I finish if I let you go?"

Sasha stood up, throwing a teasing smirk over her shoulder. "Oh, I would've let you finish anyway. I just knew getting up now would irritate you."

Owen's chest rumbled with a growl, but there was no malice behind it. Sasha smiled innocently and skipped out of the room, heading towards the front door. She opened it quickly, and picked up the large cardboard box containing her blanket, and a standard size, unmarked envelope on top.

She sat the box down on the kitchen table, and opened the envelope, curious as to what it was doing unmarked and on her porch.

Sasha pulled out the paper inside, and two paper-enclosed items fell out. Reading the letter, her eyes widened, and her breathing hitched the slightest bit.

"Owen..." She called. Sasha heard a muffled curse from the bedroom, followed by footsteps.

Owen eventually made his way into the kitchen, and found Sasha holding a letter out to him. He took it while Sasha opened the smaller items, and looked to her. She swallowed thickly and held out a playing-card size laminated object in her hand. Owen took it, exchanging a glance with Sasha.

Jurassic World ID Badges.

The letter has told them they were enclosed. It had also told them they were reopening. And offering the Grady's their previous jobs.

Owen looked at his ID. It looked similar to his old one, same picture and everything, just smaller. He was clad in a Navy Work Uniform, hair cut short and green eyes hard. Owe looked back to Sasha.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What do you think."

Sasha shook her head. "I don't know."

"The raptors... It says all assets are back in containment."

Sasha didn't need to ask any further questions. Owen's gaze was determined; he wanted his girls back. But how would he know that they'd still be cooperative? They'd been living in the wild for who knows how long.

"The raptors have been wild for a long time, Owen."

"But what if they still listen? They're scared, afraid of everyone."

Sasha closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Owen..."

"I'm not saying we up and leave. I'm saying we find out what's going on and think about it."

"Yeah you're gonna find out. Every last detail. Cause we have a two year old daughter who can't just go live on an island of dinosaurs, Owen. I'm calling Claire." Sasha reached for the phone on the counter beside them, but Owen caught her wrist.

"Tomorrow. I was told I could finish what I started tonight." Owen told her. Sasha nodded.

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"Yes. Yes you did."

The corner's of Sasha's mouth quirked up slightly. "You're lucky the sex is so good or I'd be saying no."

Owen grinned devilishly. "Nah. You love me too much to say no."


	3. Chapter 2

_**hey guys! So I'm back, but probably won't be again until Saturday or Sunday cause I'm on my way to a family reunion. So enjoy, and I apologize ahead of time for the wait!**_

 **Chapter 2**

Sasha woke up the next morning to the sound of thunder. And of course, the tiny herbivore that was curled up near her face. Rizzo had moved with them, but was kept a secret from neighbors and regular people.

She stretched out, the new electric blanket over her keeping her wrapped in a burrito of heat and comfort. Owen's alarm clock read '11:34', and Sasha almost jumped out of bed. She never slept in that late. Fumbling with the switch for the electric blanket, Sasha managed to turn it off and shove the covers off. A shock of cold air swept over her bare body, and Sasha shivered. It was April, and it was cold for that time of year. Even with the woodstove they had, it was chilly inside the cabin. Sasha dressed in a pair of thermal leggings and pulled on one of Owen's sweatshirts, yanking the hood up and the sleeves down over her hands before walking out of the room and leaving Rizzo curled on the bed.

Owen was pacing around the living room with Hadley in his arms, her head tucked against his shoulder and arms tight around his neck. Her hair was wet, and it looked like she had a bath already that morning. But she was shaking and crying, Owen gently shushing her and running a hand down her back gently. Sasha immediately recognized her behavior and smiled gently at her husband as her turned to face her. Hadley was afraid of thunderstorms. It wasn't a severe storm, but it was definitely strong. Sasha stroked Hadley's light brown curls gently, and the little girl sniffled before lifting her head.

"Momma?"

"Yeah, sweetie I'm here." She murmured, kissing her daughter's head gently. Hadley held her arms out to Sasha, and the woman let Owen hand her over quickly, pecking her lips as he did. "Shh, it's alright. You know these storms aren't that bad, right?"

Hadley lifted her head. "Weally?"

Sasha nodded, pressing her lips to Hadley's head and speaking softly. "Yeah. You don't need to be scared of them at all; your Daddy and I are always here to keep you safe, alright?"

"Yeah. I not scared." Hadley declared as best as she could. She had been stringing sentences together for the past few months, but they were still choppy and hard to understand at times.

"Really?" Owen asked, smiling at his baby girl.

"Yeah." Hadley kicked her feet around and Sasha placed her on the floor, letting her walk away bravely towards the stairs.

"You could of woke me up, you know." Sasha murmured, taking in the dark circles under Owen's eyes.

"Eh. I'm good."

"You look tired." She commented.

"Four A.M."

"Owen, you should of got me up." Sasha chastised gently. He waved her off with a yawn as Hadley froze. Another crack of thunder echoed through the house, and the toddler immediately attached herself to Owen's leg.

"Not scared, huh?" He teased, ruffling Hadley's hair.

"But so loud!"

Sasha smiled and picked her up. "I guess you can stay scared for a little while longer."

 **/JURASSIC WORLD\\\**

A knock on the door came three hours later, and Owen was already walking towards when Sasha came out of the bedroom with an empty laundry basket; Hadley had dozed off in their bed, so she let the door stay cracked. It was Sunday, so Owen had work off, and it was a lazy day between the rain and clouds outside; a visitor was the last thing he expected. He swung open the door, green eyes sweeping across the yard before falling on the woman in front of him.

"Claire?"

The Jurassic World letter. They had totally forgot.

"Hello Owen. Can I come in?" She asked, taking in his unique lazy day outfit that consisted of loose sweatpants and a tight long sleeve shirt.

"Uh, yeah come on in out of the rain." Owen said, stepping aside and allowing her to come in.

Claire had been to the Gradys' cabin twice. Once when they first moved in, and another time when they had a Christmas party. It was a cozy place, albeit a bit small for her tastes. It was all log, and had a woman's decorating touch about it. As Owen lead her into the living room, she looked at all the pictures on the mantle above their fireplace. Owen's Navy photo was there, along with a few of the small family together. Claire felt a twinge in her chest at the thought. Would she ever have a family?

Karen swore to God she was going to have kids, but Claire couldn't see herself doing all that Sasha had and raising a family. She shook the the thought off though, trying to slip back into her business demeanor.

"I'm guessing you already know why I'm here." Claire said as she lowered herself into a leather chair. Sasha sat on the couch, drawing her legs up onto the cushions, and Owen sat adjacent to her, elbow resting on the armrest to prop his head up, a familiar white envelope dangling from his fingers.

"Think I got a pretty good idea, yeah." He replied.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Sasha asked, blue eyes watching Claire carefully.

"I was supposed to come before the letter got here- they sent it out without my consent." She answered.

"But it's reopening?"

"Yes. Masrani Global barely flinched with the closing. They decided to reopen as a tourist site last August." Claire answered. Sasha scratched the back of her head and looked to Owen.

"So are you here tryin' to get us to go back and keep workin' like nothing ever happened?" He asked.

"No. I'm here because of your raptors." Claire replied. Owen's sharp eyes snapped to hers.

"What about my raptors?" He inquired, glancing at Sasha briefly.

"There are four of them on the island,"

"And?"

"And, there are only three in containment. I can't put people on that island with a loose Velociraptor." Claire told him.

"Which one is missing?" Owen asked. "They usually stay together as a pack." He added.

Claire opened her satchel and pulled out a thick blue folder filled with information, maps, data, and photos. "I don't know the names, but this is everything we've got on them so far. ACU is trying to locate and contain her, but they've had no such luck."

"Blue..." Owen trailed off, pulling out a trail camera photo. It was stapled to four other, and he flipped through them carefully. The first she was just walking by, the second she was closer and looking at the camera, the third showed her snout up in the lens, and the fourth was just teeth. "She's a smart girl" Owen chuckled.

Claire gave him a serious look. "Very. We've tracked her chip, but she's never in the same spot. She's always moving."

"So you want us to go back to the island to have Owen find Blue?" Sasha asked, eyes flicking to the cracked door to make sure Hadley was still sleeping.

"No. As the letter said, your original jobs will be reinstated. Owen's position as the lead of the raptor research team includes helping with this situation." Claire said, closing her satchel.

"I'll just lay it down for you. Going back to the island might be a little easier if we didn't have a two year old at home." Owen stated blankly. "And I'm not gonna repeat what I did when I went into the Navy and just leave her here. Especially now."

"What if we supplied everything a two year old could possibly need? You've already been upgraded to a larger house in case you choose to return, and there are other employees' children on the island." Claire offered.

"I know you can get all that Claire, but the problem with taking our daughter to Nublar is the danger. After the I-Rex-"

"There's nothing. No eggs, no lab. Eggs are being brought over from Isla Sorna. The babies are hatched in the incubation center, and handlers are imprinting on them as soon as they hatch. But the wild, aggressive attitude of Sorna's carnivores make it almost impossible to get them. Only herbivores are being extracted." Claire explained.

"What happened to Wu?" Owen asked. Claire rearranged her bag around and sat up.

"He was removed from Masrani Global's workforce."

"Good." Sasha said, leaning back into the couch.

Claire looked between the couple. "So, back to my offer. Take your time and make a decision- it doesn't have to be instant. But call me when you know."

Owen nodded. "We will."

Hadley emerged from the bedroom a moment later, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Claire smiled and waved at the little girl, who was too groggy to get excited at the sight of her 'aunt'. Instead, she walked to Owen and crawled into his lap, curling her head under his chin and leaning against his chest. Claire smiled softly at her.

"See, you get tired when you're up at four because of a storm." Owen murmured. Sasha raised her eyebrows.

"You would know." She shot playfully.

Claire looked between them. "She scared of the storms?"

"Yeah. She woke up at four this morning I guess. Owen didn't wake me up to help though so he was up all morning." Sasha said, pointedly looking at the dark circles under her husband's eyes.

"Look at you being the perfect Dad." Claire joked, getting a smile and a laugh out of him.

"That's what they call me." Owen proclaimed sarcastically.

Sasha snorted. "It was really perfect when you put the baby formula in the bowl and the oatmeal in the bottle." She teased, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You really did that?" Claire asked with s laugh.

"Oh come on. One time and you're labeled."


	4. Chapter 3

_**Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so short- I've been super busy and probably will be for a while. I don't know how often updates will be coming out, but they will be coming out. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**_

 _ **PS: If this is a little scrambled, it's because my eyes are literally falling closed cause Im that tired XD**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3**_

The offer that Claire put on the table was stressing them out.

It was a constant battle, Sasha and Owen never seeming to agree on a point. Normal life was smooth, with no problems and no arguments. But once Jurassic World was mentioned, they immediately were bickering and arguing over the most minor of things. Owen wanted to go back and round his girls up- there was some strange twinge of excitement and curiosity in him when he thought about going back and working with the dinosaurs again. He already emailed Lowery, who was still in the control room, about coming just for a few days by himself, but had doubts as to whether or not he was going. But another part of him- the protective alpha male- was telling him to stay home and take care of his family. And that side was winning. He had a job, a normal life, a family. It was perfect.

But Owen wasn't sure normal was perfect for him.

"See ya, Grady."

"See ya 'round, Tim." Owen bid the county sheriff goodbye as he walked out the door of the office. It was six o'clock, and Owen still had to swing by the grocery store and grab milk. He unlocked his pickup truck and climbed in, swinging it onto the main road easily. His stop at the store was quick, and minutes later he was pulling in the driveway.

As he pulled up Owen could see Sasha in the kitchen window, Hadley on her hip as she moved about. Grabbing the milk from the passenger side, Owen let himself in the front door and toed off his cowboy boots, setting the milk jug on the counter.

"Thanks babe." Sasha murmured, moving it into the fridge.

"Dadda!" Hadley exclaimed, holding her arms out to Owen as he sat in one of the island chairs. He smiled and took his daughter as Sasha passed her off.

"Hey baby girl. What've you been up to all day?" He asked, tickling her sides gently. Hadley scrunched up her nose.

"We cook." She answered, pointing at a tray on the counter near Sasha that was full of sugar cookies and brownies. Owen reached for one, only to get his hand whipped with the wooden spoon in Sash's hand.

"I don't think so. They're for after dinner."

Sneaking a glance at his wife who was busy making spaghetti, Owen reached for the plate, Hadley giggling at his antics. He shot his daughter a goofy smile, hand still reading for the tray. But a sharp sting made him pull back. Sasha stood behind the tray, good eye watching him carefully, and a smirk on her face. "You have to eat dinner first."

Owen raised a brow, but retracted his hand. "Fine." He pouted, coaxing a laugh out of Sasha.

"Me too." Hadley chimed in. Sasha chuckled at her daughter, and rubbed a hand over her scarred eye. It was completely healed, leaving only the raised white scar. She had gotten used to walking with one eye, and was practically back to normal.

Two later found Owen sitting on the couch, brownie in hand as Sasha put Hadley to bed. He was NASCAR, but couldn't focus on the speeding cars as his mind wandered around thinking about Jurassic World. Sasha wandered down the stairs a few minutes later, wearing flannel pajama pants and one of his sweatshirts, arms hugging herself around the middle.

"Owen we need to talk." She said, walking in front of him. Owen raised an eyebrow and sat up, swallowing what was left of the brownie.

"What's up babe?" He asked as Sasha sat in the chair across from him.

"I used your laptop this morning, and I saw the e-mails with Lowery." Sasha laid it flat, not wanting to drag it out.

Owen rubbed a hand over his rough, stubbly beard and nodded. "I was thinking about going down for a few days. Seeing if it was safe."

Sasha just looked at him, good eye searching his face for something before she shook her head and let out a breathy laugh. "You really wanna go back, don't you?" She murmured. Owen dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Sash, I don't… I don't know. I love it here. It's quiet, it's safe, no T-Rex or genetically modified dinosaur trying to eat us. But I also loved working at the park and with the girls. I don't wanna ruin the life we have here for something dumb, either." Owen said. Sasha scrubbed a hand through her thick hair and looked at Owen.

"It's not dumb. Frankly, I loved it there too. But the fact is, we have a two year old daughter that can't be in danger of being eaten by dinosaurs all the time. And she's in preschool. I doubt they have that on Nublar." Sasha replied. Owen nodded.

"If you don't wanna go, I don't wanna go." He told her, hand wrapping around hers loosely.

"Where you go?" Hadley's tiny voice cut through their conversation, and both of the adults looked over.

"Come here, baby. I thought you were in bed." Owen told the girls, letting her climb into his lap.

"Didn't say goodnight." Hadley explained, plopping a sloppy kiss on his stubbly cheek. "Dad needs cut."

Sasha laughed. "Yeah, he needs a shave." She agreed.

Owen chuckled. "Alright babydoll. What do yah say we head upstairs to bed?" He offered, looking down at his daughter.

"Yeah. Tired."

Sasha stayed on the couch as Owen headed upstairs, mind spinning. He really did want to go back. Truth be told, Sasha would love to return to the island and see it. But living on it would be a whole different ball game. She didn't want her daughter on an island with hundreds of carnivorous reptiles that could decide to go crazy anytime. Granted, it was highly unlikely, but her instincts were shouting 'bad idea'. She had her fill of dinosaurs during the I-rex incident, and honestly didn't have a desire to see any large carnivores ever again. Rizzo still lived in their house, but she was a harmless little herbivore. She wasn't going to go crazy and rip their throats out because they forgot to feed her.

"Thinking about it?" Owen pulled her from her thoughts, walking down the stairs slowly.

"Yeah. Thinking about it." Sasha answered, glancing up at Owen.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, tugging Sasha out of the chair and into a hug.

"For what?" Sasha asked, question muffled by the fabric of his shirt.

"If I wouldn't have dragged you down to Isla Nublar all those years ago, we'd never be in this situation." Owen answered, nuzzling her hair.

"Well I'm glad you did. It was sort of a honeymoon for us."

"Sort of? I'd call that a good honeymoon anyday." Owen said huskily in her ear. Sasha rolled her eyes at his attempts to seduce her.

"Owen…" Sasha protested lightly, shoving his chest half-heartedly and rolling her eye.

He kissed behind and under her ear gently, tugging on her earlobe and about making her just about fall over because her knees were immediately jelly. "You love it."

"I really do." Sasha smirked, their lips coming together and tumbling back onto the couch. Sasha giggled and looked up at Owen. "We really need to quit screwing around like teenagers." She managed between rough kisses.

"No we don't. I'm not becoming one of the soccer dads that drives a minivan and only gets some on Christmas and my birthday." He joked, eyes sparkling with amusement. Sasha narrowed her eyes and looped her arms around his neck.

"Good. Cause that is not a pretty picture.


	5. Chapter 4

_**I know I'm a horrible person, you don't have to tell me. It's been almost 2 years since I've updated. That's pretty shitty. So hopefully, I'm gonna get this show back on the road. So, I hope you guys enjoy this!**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4**_

Owen woke up later than usual the next morning, eyes bleary in an empty bed. It wasn't unusual lately- Sasha had been stressed ever since the letter from Masrani came. Owen knew what he wanted to do. As much as he loved living a normal life, where he knew his family wasn't in danger all the time, he missed the park. He missed the raptors, and the excitement; minus the giant killing machine though. Owen wasn't particularly fond of the cold, his skin and body missed the warm tropical sun. And he hated to admit it, because the Alpha male part of him just wanted to keep his family safe, and the memories that lay on Isla Nublar made him question that facet of their life. But Claire had said they were only bringing over herbivores from Isla Sorna, so where was the danger? Owen huffed out a breath as his conflicting thoughts raged, and finally managed to move himself from the position he woke up in.

He stretched out languidly, rolling over to sit on the edge of the bed. It was a Saturday, so he had the day off. Somehow, he found the motivation to pajama pants to go over his boxers, and walked out to the living room, flinching slightly as the cold air his his bare chest. Sasha was on the couch, one knee pulled up with her chin resting on it; there were papers spread across the couch, her laptop in front of her. Rizzo was curled up under her leg, Sasha absent mindedly stroking her small head with a finger. Owen walked over, reaching for one of the papers.

' _Tradgedy at Jurassic World as Uncontrollable Carnivore…."_

' _Shut Down Due to Lawsuit...'_

' _Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sasha Grady (Ashmore), husband Owen Grady, Claire Dearing… among survivors…"_

They were all news headlines.

"Sash? What're you lookin' at all this shit for? And where's Hadley?" Owen asked, setting the papers back on the couch.

Sasha turned to him, her good eye looking him straight in his. The scar on her face had tweaked the corner of her mouth down, but it was even more pronounced as she frowned. "She's still sleeping. And I'm, well- I'm… deciding."

Owen tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"We loved it there Owen. We were living the dream, in the tropics, on and island, with our own personal beach." Sasha started.

"I sense a 'but' coming on." Owen interrupted. Sasha rolled her eyes.

" _But,_ look at these headlines. I don't ever want to see our names beside 'among survivors'." She paused. "Even with just herbivores, these animals are dangerous."

"Not-" Sasha cut Owen off, standing up in front of him Rizzo squawked her surprise and stalked off, obviously not happy with her warmth being taken away.

"Look at my face, Owen. Look at the damned scar all the way across it! That was from an herbivore Owen, you were there for God's sake! These animals are dangerous…" She trailed off quietly, eye softening as Owen raised his eyebrows.

"But you miss it." He said. Sasha stopped, regarding her husband carefully. "You do."

"Owen…" She began.

"No, Sash, it's fine. I feel the same way, honey. I know it's dangerous. I know that things are crazy. But I miss the excitement. Once you've done something like that for so long, you can't just leave and never go back. It's an addiction, Sash. I can't control it, and it frustrates me because all I want is you and Hadley safe. That's it." Owen confessed, setting his hands gently on Sasha's shoulders.

Biting her lip, Sasha smiled. "Control freak."

"Alpha." He shot back jokingly.

But the joke had a different meaning then: "You really will be again."

"What?" Owen asked as Sasha's eye locked with his once again.

"The Alpha. If you go back, you'll be Alpha with the raptors again." Sasha explained. Owen rubbed the back of his neck- a nervous tick of his that Sasha knew all too well. He did it whenever he wanted to tell her something. "What do you wanna say?"

Owen sat on the couch, steepling his hands beneath his chin. "I want to go back. I can't convince myself that I don't want to. I've been trying, but it's just…"

"An addiction." Sasha couldn't help but snort. "We're going to go live on an island full of dinosaurs again, aren't we?"

Before Owen could answer, a tiny terrified voice sounded from the stairway. "Dinosaurs?"

"Shit." Sasha muttered under her breath. She had forgotten about the phobia of Hadley's. It started at daycare one day, when a mother recognized Sasha and Owen from the news stories and reports. Her teenage daughter, who always came in with her to drop off the youngest sibling, told the little boy about them working with dinosaurs. And the little boy had to go on a rant about how dinosaurs could eat you, and on and on. Ever since Hadley heard it, she was terrified of the reptiles- besides Rizzo, who she didn't quite equate with dinosaurs just yet. Whenever someone asked the youngest Grady if she had any pets, all she said was 'Lizard'

Owen exchanged a look with Sasha. A look that said ' _how the hell are we gonna tell our 2 year old who's scared of dinosaurs that we're moving to an island full of them?'_ He smiled gently, holding out a hand. "Come here, sweetheart. Me and Momma gotta tell you somethin'."

"Story?" Hadley asked, climbing onto Owen's lap.

"Sort of, honey." Sasha said, sitting beside Owen on the couch. Rizzo found her way back up and curled herself onto the armrest behind Sasha.

"Had, Momma and Daddy used to work in a really cool place…."

* * *

It was three weeks later when Sasha sat at the kitchen counter with her cell phone in her hand. The envelope from Jurassic World was lying beside her, paper worn from being looked over so many times. But, the couple had made a decision, and it was about time that they called and reported what they were doing. Owen was at work, and Hadley was sitting on the floor in the living room, looking at one of her giant picture books. Rizzo was on the kitchen floor, the pitter patter of her tiny feet echoing through the room. Sasha shifted uncomfortably, and pushed a hand through her thick hair. She dialed quickly, and held the phone to her ear.

" _Sash? What's up?"_ Owen's voice came through the speaker, and Sasha sighed, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder as she picked up the letter from Masrani Global.

"I'm about to call, and I just want to make sure this is what you wanna do." She said softly, not wanting Hadley to hear just yet.

"I' _m sure, Sash. Call and tell them. We can always change our minds._ " Owen reassured. Sasha nodded, forgetting that he couldn't actually see her.

"Ok. I'm gonna call Claire too, so I'll let you know what goes on."

" _Thanks sweetheart. I'll talk to you later."_

"Bye. Be good."

" _Always."_

Sasha hung up and switched the screen to the keypad, where she typed in the number listed on the letter. She recognized it as the number that the control room used to call her at when she lived on the island and they needed a consult or appointment made. Her finger hovered over the call button as she gathered up the courage to press it, glancing at Hadley. The little girl was lost in her books, pointing to pictures and talking to herself. Sasha smiled, pressing 'call' and moving the phone to her ear.

It rang only once before the line was picked up. "Hello, Sasha. We've been expecting your call." It was Lowery- he was still there.

"Um, hi. I'm calling about the letter from Masrani Global." Sasha told him. She heard Lowery shuffling papers and keys clicking on the other end.

"Uh, yeah. Responding for you and Owen Alexander Grady, I presume?" He asked.

"Of course. You know us Lowery, don't be formal." Sasha chastised.

"Sorry, they're making us follow a whole new script now. So, the big question. Do you two want to come back?" Lowery asked.

Sasha bit her lip, tapping her finger against the counter. "I think we are. I actually think we're coming back."


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Sasha tapped her foot nervously as she and Owen stood in the hangar at Masrani Global's corporate airport, a Vari Kennel with Rizzo in it next to them. It was official now. They were going back.

Masrani Global had a private jet, and all of their belongings were sent down earlier so they would all be in their new home when they arrived. All Sasha had to do was unpack. Hadley was in Sasha's arms, looking around the hangar and pointing at all of the different planes.

"Momma, look at that man!" Hadley exclaimed as a man in a pilot's uniform walked towards them. The man smiled brightly at the little girl, causing her to laugh happily. Sasha smiled- she recognized him as Mark Charlson. He used to fly helicopters over the grasslands on Isla Nublar. Owen reached a hand out to shake, and the man grasped it firmly with a smile.

"Owen. Good to hear you're coming back." He greeted, nodding at Sasha with a smile. "And Dr. Grady-" He paused. "A lot of employees back there need your help right now."

Sasha furrowed her brow as they began to make their way towards the huge private jet outside. "What do you mean?"

"There's a lot of people struggling right now with the reopening on the horizon. A lot are starting to have flashbacks, dreams. It was initially supposed to be a research center, but they decided the theme park was still a viable plan. Some employees are leaving- they don't think they can deal with the public anymore." Mark explained.

"I can help as soon as I get there." Sasha said, "I just need some time to get things settled and figure out where my favorite little lady is gonna go." She teasingly pinched Hadley's cheeks as they boarded the jet.

"What about my raptors?" Owen asked, knowing that Mark had to be the one that was flying choppers to try and track blue down.

"All of them are in containment but one. Blue, I believe. I've tried tranqs from the chopper, nets, everything. She's too fast. Smart as hell too. They can't reopen until she's caught. It's too big of a liability. If she's not caught soon, I'm afraid that they're going to-"

"No." Owen cut Mark off firmly, shaking his head. "They can't just kill her. The other ones will go crazy. They can't kill them because they're scared. I'll handle it."

Mark nodded. "I know you will." he glanced at his wristwatch, Well, it's about time I get you folks back. About four hours, and we'll be back in the sun."

* * *

The plane touched down at about noon. Hadley had fallen asleep, and was cradled in Owen's arms as they walked off the jet, Rizzo following closely; they let her out as soon as they got to the island- no doubt she'd stick close like she always did. Sasha had a duffel bag slung around her shoulder with the little clothes that they had kept at home when all of their belongings were sent down.

"I honestly never thought I'd be back." She murmured, looking around at the tropical forest that surrounded the runway. They were about fifty yards from the control room.

"Me either." Owen replied, beginning to walk towards the path that lead to the control room. Sasha was beside him the entire time, though the walk was eerie to begin with. There was no yelling, no sounds of tourists or wings flapping, or the distant roar of Rexy in the distance. It was just quiet. The waves on the shore of the ocean, and the birds chirping in the trees was all that was heard. Rizzo chirruped softly, as if she was asking where everyone was.

Before Owen could walk any farther, he spotted a golf cart coming towards them, squealing to a halt in front of the trio. It was Lowery. Bluetooth still in his ear, thick glasses pushed up on his tan face. "Hello, Grady family."

Hadley stirred at this, and Owen shifted his arms, allowing her to be more upright and open her eyes. "Dadda?"

"Yeah honey, I got you." Owen reassured. Hadley blinked and looked around, tensing up in her father's arms. He could see the frightened look fall into her eyes, and he smiled gently. "Don't be scared, honey. This is that beautiful place that Mommy and me used to work. And that funny looking guy-" Owen pointed at Lowery, drawing a snort from Sasha.

"Hey!" Lowery protested, holding his hands up.

"-is Lowery." Owen continued as if nothing happened. Hadley looked curiously at Lowery, trying to think what to do.

"Low-y" The two-year old strung together. Owen shook his head with a smile.

" _Lowery."_

"Daddy."

"No, not me."

"Momma?"

"No honey, the funny looking guy." Owen repeated. His daughter just looked at him blankly.

"Risso." She tried then. Owen shook his head again, pointing to Lowery.

"What's his name?"

"Low-y."

Sasha laughed, and Lowery just shook his head. "They don't pay me enough." He grumbled as the Gradys all piled onto the golf cart with him.

Less than a minute later, they were at the main entrance to the control room, and Owen looked around, having switched Hadley to Sasha and now carrying the duffel bag. "Hasn't changed. At all." Lowery shook his head as he slid his ID Badge through the scanner. "Well, that is new."

"Heightened security." The tech said quickly, pushing open the door and allowing them to all walk into the chilled air. Sasha looked around- the last time she was in there, her and Owen both stunk like gasoline, and the Indominus Rex was on the loose. The InGen made virus, and all of the diseases they fought through that year all rushed back to her, and Sasha subconsciously reached up, rubbing the scarred side of her face. Hadley kicked around, looking to her mother.

"Momma, I walk?" She asked. Sasha smiled.

"Of course, honey." Lowering Hadley to the ground, she gave a firm point, "Stay with Mom or Dad. Hold someone's hand all the time."

The little girl smiled and took Sasha's hand, following her father, who seemed lost in thought. Claire was immediately there when the door fell shut behind them, and Hadley grinned.

"Aunt Claire!" She went to run to the red-head, when she paused before looking at her and Sasha's joined hands.

"Go ahead, sweetie." Sasha released Hadley and allowed her to run to Claire, who knelt down and gave the girl a hug. The parks manager wore a crisp blue skirt, with a white button-down blouse tucked in, her hair and makeup perfect as always.

"There's my favorite niece." Claire said, tickling Hadley's sides. The little girl giggled, falling gently back into her Dad's calves. "And her parents- how are you guys?" Hadley walked back to Sasha and took her hand as Claire embraced them both briefly. "I can't thank you two enough for coming back."

Owen turned to her, stretching his neck. "After I heard what they were planning to do to Blue if I didn't catch her, I couldn't say no. And," He stopped, turning to Sasha, "It was our home for a long time."

Sasha smiled. "It was. But there's some things we need to get sorted out first."

Claire agreed. "Of course. Between the new addition and schooling and all the needs she requires, we're going to get started right away."

* * *

Claire drove Owen and Sasha towards the western part of the island- towards their old home. Hadley was fascinated, crawling back and forth across the backseat to look out the windows. Rizzo was in the back part of the Jeep, chirping with excitement. She was home too.

"Your new home is similar to the other, still just as close to the raptor enclosure. As for Sasha's work, it has an office, so you don't have to live out of a Jeep anymore." Claire explained. "Also, it's got two bedrooms, on with an en suite bathroom, and another bathroom down the hall. Enough room for all of you."

Owen, who sat in the passenger seat, watched the scenery fly by with a guarded gaze- he could feel the hair on his neck stand up as they passed the woods where his raptors had turned on him and joined the Indominus. The old part of him, the part that always drove him and his instincts and had no fear was peaking back through; he could practically sense the raptors' presence as they drove down the red dirt road. Owen tossed a casual glance back at his wife and child that were in the second row, Hadley giggling as Rizzo nibbled on Sasha's ponytail. He couldn't help but smile.

"So where is the house, exactly?" Sasha piped up as Hadley watched, wide-eyed, as a Triceratops peaked its head out of the brush.

"About 2 miles east of your old one." Claire answered, turning onto a narrowed trail. Owen nodded in approval- secluded. He liked that.

"What's all been done to fix the repairs from the Indominus?" He questioned. They hadn't spotted any sign of the attack since they'd been there- the footprints, everything were gone. The Atrium was repaired. Everything seemed as it used to.

"Everything. All of the paddocks now use a double-locking system, with a cage area and a lockdown area. Any damage was repaired immediately. Masrani's daughter took charge of the company after his death, and she was ready to reopen. Her name's Angelica. I'm sure you'll meet her at some point." Claire slowed the Jeep, turning into a driveway that lead back into the jungle.

Sasha was fairly blown away when she saw their new house. It was two-story, with bamboo-type roof, and stucco walls. There were two hammocks on the balcony from the second floor, and two swing-type chairs on the porch. Hadley looked out the windshield, poking Owen's arm.

"New house?" She squeaked happily. He nodded.

"Yeah baby girl. New house."


	7. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's short. It's a filler to get us into Owen finding his raptors and such. Enjoy the fluff, and I'll be back soon!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Their new house was beautiful, inside and out. Sasha definetly missed the coziness of the bungalow they used to live in, but Claire said it was always available for them store or vacation at. Owen's bike was actually still in one piece, now parked outside the house, along with a Jeep for Sasha to drive. The office in the house was nice, with a large mahogany table and comfy chair. There were filing cabinets throughout, and Sasha was excited to finally be practicing what she loved again. Hadley was exploring her new home, swinging on the hammocks and jumping on the new leather couches. It was all bamboo flooring- the typical 'tropic' look to it. It was nice though, a total turnaround from their house in Virginia, which was currently being maintained and paid for by Masrani Global.

Owen opened and shut kitchen cupboards curiously; everything he could think of, every ingredient and sauce, was in those cupboards. Sasha watched him with amusement, unpacking the boxed that were strewn across the main living area. That specific box, was all of Hadley's room. She spent about twenty minutes just folding and putting clothes on hangers before it was actually in their daughter's new bedroom. Which, of course, was decorate already with princesses and pastels. It was going to be a change for the little girl, as she was used to having a bedroom relatively close to her parents. But the new house had bedrooms on two different floors and sides, so they were a little further apart.

"Do you think it's expired?" Owen wondered aloud as he sniffed the milk in the fridge. Sasha furrowed her brows.

"Uh, probably not?"

"Momma, Momma! Look! Risso on my hammock!" Hadley pouted, storming into the kitchen.

Turning her gaze from Owen, Sasha looked out onto the porch, where Rizzo was basking in the warm, late evening air- on Hadley's new favorite hammock. "Looks like she's comfy."

"But Momma-" Hadley began. Sasha glanced at the clock as the little girl broke out into a yawn. 2100.

"Woah, it's wa-ay past someone's bedtime." Owen said from behind the counter, walking around so he was on the same side as Sasha and Hadley. A pair of little green eyes widened, crocodile tears filling them instantly.

"But Dadda… I not tired." Hadley complained, eyes sparkling with tears. Owen rubbed the back of his neck, and Sasha sighed. She knew Hadley had Owen around her finger- and Hadley knew it too. But glancing at Sasha, Owen knew they needed to talk and figure things out, not to mention sorting out the mess of their belongings.

Reaching his arms out and allowing his daughter to hug him, Owen picked her up. "As much as I love you, sweetheart, you do need to go to bed."

Hadley buried her face in Owen's shoulder. "No!" She wailed, beginning to cry loudly. Definetly tired.

The two adults exchanged a glance, and Owen headed to her bedroom, where Sasha could hear him talking to her softly. She followed, walking in just as Owen tucked her into the Disney themed bed. Hadley held her arms out for her Mom, and Sasha gave her a hug.

"Goodnight honey." Sasha murmured, kissing her cheek and nose. Hadley reciprocated, another yawn escaping her mouth.

"Night night Momma."

Owen bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead, "I love you sweetheart. Goodnight."

"Night night Dadda."

Twenty minutes later, Owen and Sasha were sitting on the foot of their new, king-size, memory foam mattress. Both exhausted, surrounded by boxes. "We'll finish these, shower, and go to bed." Sasha declared, standing up from her spot on the bed. Her foot on her blind side smacked into the bedframe, and Sasha yelped. "Urgh. Fricking eye."

Unpacking boxes, which were mostly clothes, was a monotonous task, but it was an easy thing to do and talk over. "So, what are we thinking that we're going to do with Hadley? We can't just dump her at the daycare everyday." Owen said, reminding Sasha of their big problem at hand.

"I know. Once she's old enough for the actual school part it won't be a big deal cause she'll have to be there. But right now I feel bad." Sasha murmured.

"I have to get Blue tomorrow." Owen deadpanned, locking eyes with his wife's one good one

"So what are you telling me?" Sasha moved her hand in a circle, signifying her need for clarification. Owen scratched his forearm absently.

"We need to decide now?"

Sasha groaned. "Owen!" But she stopped, rubbing the scarred side of her face again. Owen noticed, and he knew what it meant. Folding his last pair of jeans from the boxes, he looked to Sasha again.

"You're worried." Owen commented.

"Yeah. Just my mind trying to overpower me- thinking about what happened then." Sasha said, brushing it off quickly. "I'll stay here with her tomorrow that way we don't abandon her on the first day."

After the decision was made, and boxes were unpacked, the two spent a good half-hour tidying up and disposing of the boxes in their cardboard recycling bin outside. When it was all done, they both collapsed on the bed. It was then 2340. Way later than any of them used to stay up.

"Hot shower?" Owen asked. Sasha nodded, standing up as he did.

"I was gonna go first." Owen said childishly, pulling his shirt off. Sasha smiled, feeling herself shift around as she sauntered to her husband, nails trailing over his bare chest as she walked into the en suite.

"I was just gonna come with you."

Everything was hot, passionate, and steamy. No pun intended. Sasha and Owen hadn't been intimate since they fought about Jurassic World for all those weeks. He missed the feel of her soft hands on his calloused skin, and Sasha couldn't help but gasp as he pinned her to the shower wall. A smile crossed Owen's face, and they both laughed.

"I love you Sasha. So much." He said, hugging her to him tightly. Sasha tightened her hold around his neck.

"I love you too, Owen." She kissed him gently, feeling his excitement press against her leg once again. She laughed out loud. "Again? Really?"

* * *

Owen was up and ready to go find Blue early the following morning. It was hard to find the willingness to move; both of their naked bodies curled tightly around each other. The alarm clock on his nightstand read '0400'. He sat up, untangling himself carefully, trying to avoid waking the sleeping red head next to him. Owen finally found the motivation to stand, walking to their newly filled closet. Sasha had hung all his clothes up, and he pulled his old leather vest off a hanger, followed by a red button up shirt. He yanked on a pair of dark brown work pants, and dressed in the shirt quickly.

As he made his way into the bathroom, Owen brushed his teeth quickly and scrubbed hands through his messy hair, trying to calm it down. He adjusted his shirt collar to try and cover the love marks on his collarbones, finally shutting off the light and walking back out.

"Owen?" He heard Sasha's groggy voice, and sat down next to her on the side of the bed. "What time is it?"

"Four o'clock. I'm leaving to find Blue." Owen said, taking in the confusion on her face.

She nodded, licking her dry lips. "Mm'kay. Be careful. I love you." Her words were sleepy, dangling between consciousness and sleep.

"Always. I love you. Give me a shout when you're awake, alright?" Owen looked at his wife as her eyelids fluttered.

"Yeah I will."

Owen kissed her gently on the forehead and stood, walking out of the bedroom. To his surprise, Hadley was still sound asleep, and he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before walking out of the house to his bike.

It was time to find his girl.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Where was she last bedded down?"

Owen stood in the control room, tranquilizer gun over his shoulder, and muzzle dangling from his fingers. The new head of security, Jack Hofton, stood next to him. Jack had heard about Owen Grady and his research before the I-Rex attack. Every report he read, and every person he talked to told him a lot of positive things. Ex-Navymen, now father and husband. And Velociraptor trainer.

"She was on the north side of the mountain, over by where we buried all the infected dinos from the InGen thing." Lowery answered, taking a long gulp of coffee. He didn't get paid enough to get up this early.

"Can you send the data to-" Owen was cut off as Lowery held out a small tablet, no bigger than his phone. It had a bright yellow dot in the middle, pinging Blue's location. North side of the mountain, moving quickly south. Owen smiled. "She must be hungry."

* * *

The helicopter ride across the island was oddly relaxing- Owen felt at peace finally. He was getting all his raptors back together, and he was back on Isla Nublar. It was strange, as he was aware how dangerous the island could be. But a part of him was excited to be back, and to raise his daughter on the island that him and Sasha had lived on for so long.

Jack Hofton sat next to him, real rifle in had. Owen guess that his was ex-military. Probably marines by the way he carried himself. He was tall, broad chested and muscular. Short, cropped black hair, and a piercing gaze that would shake most people. "You know, I think you're a crazy son of a bitch."

Owen huffed a laugh, glancing out over the pale dawn sky. "A lot of people do" He shifted, tipping the gun back and forth between his fingers. "But I know these animals. I know their ticks and movements. I've worked with them since they hatched."

"Not for the past two years." Hofton stated. Owen turned.

"I know what I'm doing." Pausing, Owen looked to Jack. "By the way, the last head of security was an asshole."

Jack quirked his eyebrow. "...And?"

"Don't be one."

"Less than a quarter mile from the target." The pilot said aloud, breaking up the tension in the back of the chopper. "She's not moving much."

Owen nodded, glancing at the tablet in his hand. "She might be feeding. Land us."

The pilot reluctantly nodded, and brought the chopper down in a small clearing. Owen hopped out, tracker in hand. Jack was right behind him, holding his rifle out in front of him.

"Don't shoot my raptor." Owen commanded. Jack looked slightly shocked by his threatening words, but didn't have a chance to respond- the other man was already moving.

Owen slung the tranq gun over his shoulder, and headed towards the pinging dot quietly. He was nervous, but he knew these animals were intelligent. Blue had always been his baby- from the time she hatched. But it had been over two years, and Owen had changed. Moreover, he was aware Blue had changed. Possibly to the point where Owen would be nothing more than a midday snack. But he ignored the voice in his head telling him to run- ignored that primal instinct that was telling him that he wasn't on top of the food chain anymore.

He could feel his heart rate increase as he moved forward, practically on top of the dot. Stopping, Owen knelt down with Jack following his movements. He could hear twigs snapping, and peeked his eyes over the shrubs and bushes he was behind. And there she was.

Not twenty feet from them, Blue had her jaws deep in a wild boar. Her forelegs and claws were coated in blood, and Owen couldn't help but feel excitement wash through him.

"Holy shit." Jack muttered. Blue stopped instantaneously. Owen's eyes widened, and he wanted to hit the man behind him. She had heard him.

Reptilian nostrils flared, and the raptor slowly turned, a growl slipping from her mouth. She stalked towards the two hidden men, claws outstretched. Owen pulled the tranq gun to the front of his body. Just as they went to back up, the raptor cut through the bushes they were concealed behind, letting out a vicious growl.

Owen didn't know anything else to do except yell at that point. He leapt to his feet, arms outstretched in front of him. "Blue! Blue! It's me, Girl!"

The giant reptile stopped, a glint of what looked to be recognition flitting through her eyes. Owen was still breathing heavily, and Jack stood behind him, rifle pointed at the dinosaur. She made a soft chirping sound, and Owen nodded, maneuvering the tranq gun so it was pointed at Blue, and he had an easy shot when he could take it. She had to be asleep to go back.

"Me. It's me." Owen tried again, feeling success, as she wasn't eating him instantly.

The dinosaur bared its teeth slightly, and Jack backed up a few steps, causing her piercing gaze to snap to him. Owen moved over. "Jack, don't move. Running signals chase."

Jack stood then, frozen. He felt a kind of fear he'd never felt before, and it was horrifying. He didn't know how Grady was standing so close to the animal. But before he could react or respond to Owen's command, he heard a soft click, and the velociraptor made a screeching sound that he would never forget. Owen had fired the tranq gun, hitting the raptor directly in the neck, where the drugs would have a faster effect. She let out another growl, and snapped her jaws on the end of the gun in Owen's hands. She released it instantly, and Owen backed up. She was scared, in pain, and didn't know what was going on. Owen felt bad, and reached his hand out. He was not scared. She was defensive, and that was okay.

"Blue. It's alright girl." Owen made the same sounds he used to to soothe them with, as long claws came closer to him. Blue did not seem to recognize him this time, and she didn't hesitate to swipe at him with her talons. He knew her drug-addled brain was trying to process, but she couldn't. Owen narrowly avoided her attack, and managed to back up further. "Come on, work." He hissed, waiting for the tranq to take total effect. As he finished speaking, Blue seemed to calm down. Owen held his hands up in surrender, and let her sniff his outstretched palm .

"That's my girl."Owen murmured, smiling. The raptor seemed to accept Owen back, though he knew the drugs in her system were making her different. And just as he felt he had it handled, he made a stupid decision. Not thinking of the implication, Owen moved to sling his gun back over her shoulder. But Blue knew what that gun just did- and she wasn't having it again.

She let out another fearsome screech, and snapped her teeth as she lunged at Owen.

This time though, she didn't miss. Owen was shocked to feel a bolt of pain radiate up his arm, and he yanked his hand away, probably causing more damage. The momentum from his reaction caused him to fall back, the back of his head hitting something hard. Owen groaned in pain, and Blue looked as if she was about to pounce- he was vulnerable. Jack cocked the rifle, but Owen shoved the barrel down instantly. Knowing better than to look at his injury, he snapped back into Alpha mode as the adrenaline pumping through him lessened the pain of his injury. From his laid out, position on the ground, Owen held out the hand that wasn't in pain; his brain fuzzy and consciousness swaying.

"Blue! Listen! Eyes up." He said, cradling his injured arm against his chest. The raptor finally paused, only to stagger in her step. Owen smiled. "You're alright girl. Just go to sleep."

Blue staggered again, her legs giving out this time. As the raptor lay in front of him, Owen felt a rush of relief pass over him. He watched her hiss one last time before falling unconscious, and couldn't help but let out a short laugh. Finally gathering courage, Owen looked down at his arm and grimaces as he saw what looked akin to hamburger. "Oh shit."

"It's a bad wound, Grady."

As Owen turned his head and managed to stagger to his feet unsteadily, Jack finally saw the extent of his injury. From his fingertips to halfway up his forearm was covered in blood. There was huge gashes, and three of his fingers her barely attached. It was bleeding profusely in some spots, and Jack was immediately back in marine mode, pulling off his jacket and wrapping the arm up. "Grady, let's get back to the chopper. You're losin' blood. "

"But Blue." Was all he could muster as the pain washed back over him. Owen knew better than to look at his arm again, and didn't have the motivation to argue with Jack as his head throbbed once again.

"ACU is on their way to pick her up with the truck now."

Owen hesitated, tentatively using his good hand to reach forward and stroke his fingers across the animal's face. Hofton had a hold of his bad arm still, holding pressure on the bleeding extremity. He could hear the sound of a truck engine in the distance, and saw it show up on the trail about seventy yards south of them. When the men reached them, they all knew what to do- wrap the animal, muzzle it, and load it in the truck.

"Be careful with her." Owen said, wobbling slightly. The commander nodded, and they all headed out. Owen began to walk back to the chopper, pausing as everything got a little fuzzy. "Woah."

"Grady, you good? You're looking pale, kid." Jack asked. Owen nodded.

"Let's go."


End file.
